Base construction for electric bulbs



April 8, 1930. A. c. KORTE ET AL BASE CONSTRUCTON FOR ELECTRIC BULBS April 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l QFiled April 8, 1930. A. c. KORTE ET AL BASE CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTRIC BULBS Filed April 9, 1927 2, ShQe'bS-Sheefl. 2

nven'tar auf C. /fre Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE AUGUST C. KRTE AND SIEGFRIED REDEKER, OF SUNBURY, AND KURT MAHNKE, OF

WILLIAMSPORT,

PENNSYLVANIA BASE CONSTRUCTION FOR ELECTRIC BLBS Application iled April 9,

This invention relates to improvements in the base construction for electric light bulbs and particularly to theprovisionvof means in the base, opera-ble to render the filament of the bulb useless upon withdrawalfrom a socket, by--unauthorized persons.v

An object ofthe inventionresides in providing an electric-light bulb having a special base construction adapted to fit the standard screw socket, or other standard sockets now in use, which may be readily applied or removed from the socket in the usual manner, and which contains-relatively movable means operable to interpose the filament'in the bulb in circuit with the socket upon application of the bulb thereto, and to disconnect the circuit through the filament in the removal of the bulb from the socket, and lock themovable parts in the disconnected position to prevent unauthorized persons from using the bulb, `the parts being operable by an authorized person by suitable means to reset the parts for subsequent operation and application in another socket.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an electric bulb adapted to be applied `to standard sockets having a part attached to the bulb and a movable part carried by the last-named part for engagement i-n the socket, in which the two parts are .constructed in such a manner that-the relative positions thereof control the circuit tothe filament to either Amake kor break such circuits, and in-thebroken positionv of the circuit, to lock the parts against relative movement, to prevent the subsequent closing of said circuit except through the use of .a special operating device. e

The invention 1 comprehends numerous other objects residing in the specific details of construction, and arrangement of the parts for carrying out .the invention, in a new and novel manner, in which the several parts are inexpensive to manufacture, and maybe readily assembled in order to produce a construction at `a relatively low cost, all of which features are more particularly pointed out in the following detailed description and claims directed to a preferred form of construction, it being understood however,

1927. Serial No. 182,428.

that various changes in the size, shape and relation ,of the parts may be made Withoutl departing from the spirit and scopel of the invention as hereinafter set forth. l

In the drawings forming'part of this application Y f F igurel l is a vertical sectional. view thru the base of the lamp and a portion of the bulb on an enlarged scale7 showing the iinproved invention. Y y

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-,-2 of Fig. l. Y

Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view of the contact and locking disk member. Y

Fig. t is a detail perspective showing the structure rigidly mounted on the electric bulb in `.disassembled relationwith respect to Fig. 3, in order to clearly illustrate the relative positions of the partsras shown in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modiiied form of the invention in whichthe section istakenin a position `similar to the Fig. 2. i

Fig. 6 illustrates adetail perspective of the contact marking disk member used in the construct-ion vshown in F ig. 5. l r

Figs. 7 and 8 represent perspective views of complementary parts of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5.

A11-electric light bulb or other evacuated container of a similar character, is indicated at l, having the usual stem portion 2 through which the electrical conductors 3 extend. which is-fiii the .base portion of the bulb-and sealed in theusual manner. y i

` On this sealed end of the bulb as indicated at 4, is `mounted the base member 5 which is constructedv of suitable insulating material having the cylindrical portion '6 extending from the annular disk portion 7 and formed to seat against the lower end 4 of the bulb .as

shown in Fig. l, so that .suitablel cementing material 8 placed Vin the member 5 willfirmly mount the base member on the base portion 4 of the bulb 1.

The centralA portion of the disk portion 7 of this base member is providedwith a tubular projection having ,a reduced shoulder' portion l0 and an annular groove at 1l. The disk. portion 7 is formed at yl2 with `an ,arcucooperation in the lamp base.

The central portion of the disk 16 is provided with an opening 17 adapted for application over the reduced end of projection 9 bearingv in engagement onrwthe shoulderA 10 formed on said projection. A split ring 18 is adapted for detachable engagement in the groove 11 'for rotatably retaining the disk member 16 on the projection 9. The diskl member 16 is formed at the opposite side of opening 17 Jfrom the strip portion 15 with a resilient tongue 19 normally riding on the outer end of the arcuate projection 12 when the strip member 15 is inengagement with the inclined face 14 of Contact 13.

The position or" the resilient latch member' 19 with respect to the strip member 15 is such that when the disk 16 is turned to engage the shoulders 20 formed at one end of the strip 15 with the shoulder portion 21 on one end of the arcuate projection 12, the resilient strip member and latch member' 19 will drop behind theshoulder 22 and at the opposite endV of the arcuate projection 12 and lock the disk member against relative movement with respect to the base 5.

As a result the strip member 15 will be retained out of electrical contact with the contact 13 and retain a circuitl therethrough in open de-energized condition.

The disc 16 is fitted in one end of a sleeve member 23, the latter being adapted to rotatably fit over the base 5in the manner shown in Fig. 1. One of the Wires 3 is electrically connected as shown in Fig. 1 through an opening in the base member 5 with the contact 13 while the other conductor 3 eX- tends through the central portion of the tubular projection 9 on base 5; and is soldered or otherwise connected to the contact button 24 carried by the rotatable casing member 25. This rotatable casing member includes the insulating disk 26 which carries the button 24 in the central portion and has the screw threaded shell 27 secured thereto.

This shell 27 is applied over the sleeve 23 as shown in Figure 1 in a friction-tight fitting engagement whereby to retain the disc and sleeve in assembled relation with the remaining parts of the device.

The lshell 27 is provided at 28 with an opening to receive a key member 29 which may be inserted thru an alined opening in sleeve 23 so that the oiisetend 30 of the key member may be engaged under the reeend I of the strip 19 so as to raise it from engaged nerfby means of the plastic material 8. Then the,..disk member 16 and sleeve 23 areapplied into-the position shown in Fig. 1', and ring 18 is inserted over the end of the projection 9 and seated in the groove 11. The casing member 25 is then applied into the position .shown in Fig. 1, with the shell 27 positioned over the sleeve 23, the wire 3 connected with the button 24 having been previously inserted through anv opening in the button so that it may be soldered thereto after the application of the metallic casing to the sleeve 23. l l

Then by any suitable means such as soldering, or otherwise,the shell member 27 is rigidly secured to the sleeve 23, uniting the parts in operative relationship. This uniting of the parts will be such that the spring latch member19 will ride on top of projection 12, and when the bulb is applied in a socket, the strip member 15 will be direct-ly engaged with the inclinedsurface 14 of the contact 13.l

This condition will exist throughout the application of a bulb in a socket because oi the y:frictionalv engagement between the strip member 15 and the contact 13 and it will be apparent that the turning of the bulb toward the right, asis customary 'for Vsecuring the bulb into the socket will serve toincrease such frictional engagement by reason ot thev direction of inclination of the surface 14 ofthe Contact. Thus when the current is applied for energizing the filament in the bulb by tac. operation of the switch in the socket, thecircuit through the base of the bulb will be closed in orderthat the filament circuit may be completed. Should the bulb be removed Jfrom the socket, the'unscrewing operation will cause a rotation of the base 5 within the sleeve 23 and relative to disk member 16 due to the tree mounting of the base within the sleeve, as a result of which the projection 12 will move toward the shoulder 2O on the strip 15, and engage such shoulder at which time the latch spring 19 will drop behind the shoulder 22 on projection 12. Then the further turning operation to remove the bulb from the socket will rotate the shell member 27 for such purpose.

If now the bulb is applied to another socket the latchspring 19 will prevent relative rotation between the disk member 16 and the shell 5 and maintain the strip member' 15 disengaged from the contact 13, tlierebyre- A taining the circuit to the filament open and preventing the use of the bulb.

Authorized persons may reuse ,the bulb thru the use'of the key by inserting the same through the openings 18 as above described` and turning the key so as to raise the spring strip 19 upwardly above the end of the projection 12, whereupon the shell 27 in casing Q5, may be rotated relative to the casingA to place the end of the spring 19 on top of the projection 12 and permit the strip 15 to be engaged with contact 13.

Figs. and 6 illustrate a construction having substantially the same features as that shown and described above, in which the contacts and projection for locking are provided on acylindrical surface. In this construction, the base member is indicated at 23',

, which has the disk portion 29 formed thereon in the same manner as in Fig. 1, and which is also provided with a projection 30 of substantially semi-cylindrical form and having the semi-cylindrical surface thereof provided with a notch 31. One end of the semi-cylindrical portion terminatesin the radial shoulder 32 while the opposite end thereof terminates in the curved shoulder 33 to which is secured the Contact strip 34.

A contact and locking disk member 35 is applied in the shell member in the manner as shown in Fig. 1, in connection with disk 16, and is provided with a locking spring member 36 secured to one face thereof, and at the opposite edge with an arcuate projection 37 forming a contact member having the inner edge tapering from the central portion to the edge portion of the disk member 35 as indicated at 38 and conforming in shape to curved f shoulder 33, so as to have electrical contact with the strip 34 in the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 5, for closing the circuit to' the filament of an electric bulb on which the device is applied.

In the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 5, the locking spring36 will engage on' the semi-cylindrical surface of the projection 30, and permit the free engagement of the Contact member 37 with the Contact strip 3A while a rotation of the bulb after application in a socket to remove the same from the socket, will move the casing and projection 30 relative to the disk 35 so as to withdraw the curved shoulder 33 from engagement with the contact 37 and permit the locking spring 36 to engage in the notch 31 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5.

In this position, the end or shoulder portion of the contact 37 indicated by the numeral 39 in Fig. 6 will engage the radial shoulder 32 of projection 30 and lock the parts against relative movement. The bulb ma then be removed from the socket but as the contact strips 34 control the circuits of the ii'lament in the bulb, it will be readily appreciated that the circuit is broken between these parts, and the bulb is thereby rendered useless to unauthorized persons. Any suit able key controlled mechanism may be used for elevating the strip 36 from the notch 31 trolling circuit connection between a ,socket and a `lilament in the bulb, adapted to lock the parts ofthe base in the circuit through the ilanient`;deenergized when handled by unauthorizedpersons.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is 1. A. devicel comprising an electric bulb having a filament l, therein, a base casing mounted on one end of said bulb, a contact member mounted on said casing, said casing having an arcuate projection thereon provided with a pair of shoulders, a rotatable member mounted on said base casing, a contact tongueand a locking tongue carried by said'rotatable' member, said contact tongue being adapted for frictional engagement with the Contact member on the casing when in one position and said locking tongue cooperating with the arcuate projection for locking said rotatable member against rotation on said casing when in another position, said rotatable member being normally prevented from movement into locking position by the frictional engagement of said contact tongue and the contact member during the applica*- tion of the device to a lamp socket and operable for movement into locking position upon removal of the bulb from the socket.

2. A `device comprising an electric bulb having a filament, a pair of separate elements coaxially mounted with respect to each other, one of said elements comprising a base casin rigidly mounted on the end of said bulb, the other element relatively rotatable on said first mentioned element for detachable engagement therewith, projections on the end of said casing, one of said projections carrymg an insulated lament terminal, a center contact terminal at the other end of the filament, and latch means carried by said rotatable element, a screw shell contact in electric contact with said latch` means, said latch means adapted for cooperation with said terminal on one of the projections to normally close the circuit through the filament of the bulb upon application to a lamp socket, and

y operable upon removal of the bulb from said contact member for the lamp filament secured to a base casing for movement therewith, a

dise member carried by said casing and adapted for rotary movement independently of the Contact member, saiddisc member co.

operating with said Contact member orvcoinpleting the electric circuit of the lamp, an insulation stop member projecting from the en'd of the base casing, resilient Contact means carried by the disc and engageable with said Contact member for normally closing the circuit of the filament, said resilient Contact means being operable to engage the stop member for' securing the Contact member out ofengagement upon rotation of the bulb in a predetermined manner.

In testimony whereof We aiX our signatures.

AUGUST CL KORTE. SIEGrFRIEDV REDEKER. KURT MAI-INKE. 

